The Starvation Army: Twelve reasons to reject the Salvation Army

Salvation Army founder William Booth spent years evangelising before he realised that he would never achieve his goal of banishing the 'three As' of "Alcohol, Atheism and Anarchy" from England's underclass if he did not first keep them from starving. The Salvation Army's social work efforts can be directly linked to Booth's failure to convert the poor through more conventional means.(1)

A former pawnbroker, Booth was aware that poverty largely stemmed from the structure of society that he was in. However the social system that created conditions of poverty and inequality was not to be improved or replaced via social revolution. Instead Booth hoped to promote a "kinder, gentler" form of industrial capitalism, one with the "Christian values" of hard work, abstinence and charity. Booth characterised the revolutionary Christianity of the Diggers and Levellers as "utopian" and believed that Salvation Army members could earn a large profit from businesses and still keep a good conscience. In his view (and contrary to many others) the Bible was detached from social and economic change. For him the work of a good Christian was to piously tend to the poor rather than work with them in the hope of transforming a society based on poverty for some people and profit for others.

Regardless of their attitude towards social structures the primary aim of the Salvation Army was not to provide charity, but to win souls from the devil. Booth stated that what was important was not "whether a man died in the poorhouse but if his soul was saved".(2) Dispensing the absolute basics of food and temporary housing to the needy was motivated by the need to recruit rather than by anything in the Bible. Any of the poor who were unfortunate enough to go against the Army's morals were quick to discover themselves out on the street, hungry or not.(3)

So from the very beginning the Salvation Army was in favour of a world made up of bosses and bossed. Its own organisational setup reflected this love of authority, with a military structure complete with uniforms and an army band. Control of the Army passed from Booth to his oldest son and stayed there, until high-ranking officers pulled a coup.(4) The organisation's basic dictatorship stayed untouched, with little power at the grassroots and almost total control at the top.(5)

The moral code that was enforced was extreme, even by the standards of society when it started. There was no drinking, swearing, smoking, premarital sex or gambling allowed. The only permissible pleasure was praying and playing in the Army band. This was justified by saying that the Bible had described drinking etc as sinful. This is highly debatable, as the Army itself has been forced to admit.(6) The basis for these teachings is more likely to be found in Booth's hangups than in the Bible.

This moral code had a dark side, in that it allowed the Salvation Army to blame the victims of poverty for their own situation. They could argue that the symptoms of poverty - alcohol abuse, prostitution etc - were really its cause. This let their rich backers off the hook. It also meant that any of the poor who broke their moral code were denied access to food and clothing, a practice which reportedly continues today.(7)

As Britain's social problems increased, it was recommended that the poor be sent off to colonise other countries (regardless of the feelings of the people who already lived there of course). As a solution to poverty this ignored the fact that Britain already had more than enough resources to clothe, feed and house all of its population. It real aim of colonisation was building a bigger British Empire. Booth was one of the first to draw up detailed plans for how agricultural colonies be designed to soak up Britain's mass of unemployed and its arguable that his plans had some influence on the people who ran the Empire.(8) Big businessmen and politicians like Cecil Rhodes and American president Theodore Roosevelt lent their support.(9)

As the Empire expanded so did the Salvation Army. Along with all the other Christian sects they were quick to claim a slice of each country's native people as their spiritual property. Along with other Christians they worked to tear native communities apart and fill them with the values of hard work and capitalism.(10) Here in Australia the Salvation Army ran missions to "Christianise" Aboriginals and helped take their children to be given to white Christians.

Wherever it went the Salvation Army maintained its support for 'things as they are'. As Booth put it, "a philanthropic body cannot afford to alienate the class which supports it".(11) This is a notion very much alive in the Army today.(12) Most famously the Army clashed with the Industrial Workers of the World in a series of countries. The IWW was an anarchist-influenced union.

During the early part of this century the IWW put most of its effort into trying to win over unskilled and transient workers. These were the poorest workers and also the people that other unions usually wouldn't support. They were also the main target for the Salvation Army. The two groups competed for the hearts and minds of the workers, but also for public stages and places to speak - public speaking was a much more popular and common tactic for political groups then; seeing a public speaker was almost the equivalent of going to the movies. The IWW campaigned in Australia and the USA for the same rights to speak in public that the Salvation Army had - but they were denied them. There was a lot of conflict over this, and the Army's Christian morals didn't stop them physically attacking IWW speakers.(13)

IWW members invented the term 'Starvation Army', and also the phrase 'pie in the sky' - making fun of their idea that you should put up with poverty now because everything will be fine in Heaven. The IWW wasn't able to survive the attacks of the governments and corporations who backed the Army. After many years of deportations, murders, arrests, jailings and beatings the IWW lost the massive support it once had (although it actually survived and in recent years has gotten slightly bigger, with the revival of anarchist ideas around the world).

In helping fight the IWW the Salvation Army eliminated all competition. It helped carve out a position for itself as one of the only organisations allowed by the government to 'help' the homeless and unemployed.

The Army had to deal with other problems in the colonies. Booth was in such a hurry to create a worldwide Christian army that he often sent out missionaries that were hopelessly unsuited to the task.(14) Organisational blunders hampered the Salvation Army's work across the Empire. Coupled with this was the familiar problem of attacks on members. By encouraging Salvationists to force themselves on drinkers and gamblers Booth put his soldiers directly in the firing line. In Australia it wasn't that uncommon for Salvationists to march into pubs and drown out all conversation by singing hymns. Nor was it that uncommon for them to be run out of the same establishments while being pelted with flour bombs and rotten fruit and vegetables.(15)

Despite these handicaps the Army has been able to consolidate itself as a worldwide religious organisation. In its 120 years it has had no greater success than in Australia where it has become the biggest charity, with the most-read Christian newspaper, the War Cry.(16) Through business enterprises and the patronage of government and business it has gained control of a vast number of services, companies, buildings, training academies, publishing houses and other resources. The Salvation Army remains strongest in the West but has chapters in almost every country in the world.

The Salvation Army often tries to distance itself from right wing Christian fundamentalism but its ideas are very similar. Many of the "pro family" coalitions that it's part of are dominated by people who want to harass, jail or even murder gay people.(17)

The Salvation Army unambiguously condemns homosexuality, but puts a 'nice' face on it. Unlike other fundamentalists they believe that God pities gay people on Earth and will save the hellfire for later.

They have campaigned against homosexuality becoming legalised in various countries.(18) They have also lobbied against translations of the Bible that interpret passages on homosexuality in less condemning terms.(19) They see homosexuality as a perversion and a corruption, but while Salvos may find gays and lesbians distasteful they are instructed to address them politely while trying to convert them.(20) They believe that the 'social disease' from which gay people suffer is curable via God's love. However where it is fully entrenched people should refrain from "sinful" activity to avoid going to Hell.(21)

The Salvation Army, through the War Cry and the distribution of homophobic books, repeatedly spreads the myth that gay people are promiscuous, diseased and corrupt.(22) One of their main arguments is saying that homosexuality spreads AIDS and other diseases in and of itself - rather than arguing for safe sex they try and say that homosexual relationships have to disappear altogether.(23) While pretending to be understanding, they have no problems with statements like "the homosexual lifestyle is simply an invitation to an early grave"(24). It's interesting to wonder what they make of the fact that it's much easier to get AIDS or other diseases through heterosexual sex than through lesbian sex.

By trying to wipe out homosexuality, and counselling people to repress rather than accept their sexuality, the Salvation Army can be seen as the 'caring' face of homophobia. While they're not out bashing gays and lesbians themselves they help create the mentality that furthers gay bashing. By preaching these ideas they also contribute hugely to the ill-treatment and unhappiness of those gay people who remain 'in the closet' in the Army.

Given the uniforms, extreme puritan ideas, dictatorship, and worship of a single 'glorious leader', the Salvation Army are very similar to groups like the Hare Krishnas or the Scientologists. Unlike them, they are a widely accepted part of society due to their charity work. Their record burning, belief in the coming end of the world, fear of demons, and other 'unusual' ideas, aren't widely known.(25)

On joining the Salvation Army members pledge "unquestioning obedience and sacrifice" to their church. Internal dissension is tightly controlled.(26) William Booth described this as "God's own system"(27) Young people are expected to marry only within the Army. Officers are only allowed to marry other officers - they have to leave if they marry "civilians" (people outside the church). Members have to get Army permission to go on dates.(28) To sum it up, the Army has an unhealthy degree of control over their followers' lives.

Salvation Army material constantly refers to William Booth almost as if he was a saint or prophet. The question is often not what's the right thing to do, or what would Jesus have done - but what Booth would have done. This is very similar to cults with their worship of their 'gurus'. For example the Army rejects smoking. They admit that the Bible doesn't refer to smoking at all (29). But because Booth said it's immoral, it becomes "unchristian behaviour".

Connected to this guru worship is the undemocratic system that Booth, who called himself a "dictator"(30), put in place. The Salvation Army is run by a General who has almost total power.(31) They admit that they censor disagreement in their own ranks and bind everyone to the '11 doctrines'.(32)

Their arrogance constantly puts the Army into conflict with local communities and workers in the community sector. Its main drug unit in Victoria was shut down due to a lack of medical facilities.(33) It has used untrained volunteers in its domestic violence counselling service.(34) It has often been criticised for this habit of employing untrained Salvation Army members to deal with potentially fatal situations such as domestic violence or drug addiction. In response they have often complained of a lack of funding - despite the property and resources they have boasted of owning at other times.(35)

A specific example of the dangers of this can be found in New South Wales. The police have taken to referring victims of domestic violence to the Salvation Army's Careline. This is despite Careline lacking properly trained staff, unlike other services. Careline has been accused of giving people wrong advice about their options - even in some cases advising women to stay with abusive and violent partners "for the sake of the children".

The Salvation Army seems to believe that their morals are suitable for everyone, and their workers are better than anyone regardless of training. Their publications often say that they do a better job than other agencies, but are generally fairly short of evidence.(37)

In considering whether the Salvation Army is a cult we must go back to its original goals. Its primary mission is what it always has been - what its Yearbook called "spiritual warfare".(38) Its social work remains "indirect evangelical work".(39) As one Salvationist put it, "all the time, at any task, I am doing the work of an evangelist. The aim is to communicate Jesus".(40) Officers are trained in evangelical work first, and then assigned to either the social or evangelical wing.

It is therefore impossible to see how the Salvation Army can be telling the truth, when it says that it doesn't use its social work as a recruiting method.

The Army claims that it doesn't use funds raised for charity in evangelical work. In fact all officers get a wage from the Army (regular members aren't paid). All officers are told to spend some of their time evangelising. In this way religious activities are quietly funded.(41).

Testimony from former drug addicts and others who have gone through the Army's rehabilitation programs show that religion is especially pushed there. They use '12 step programs', which constantly refer to faith in a higher power.(42)

The Army also refuses to take part in government programs which forbid teaching religion.(43)

The Salvation Army claims to be apolitical, but a close look at its connections, activities and history shows that they are anything but. From the beginning the Army has seen itself as a way of turning workers away from acting against their bosses. Some early members of the Army criticised the rich for their role in creating poverty, but Booth put a stop to this.(44) When addressing wealthy donors Catherine Booth (William's wife) promoted the Army as "the only organisation whose members to any appreciable extent buttonhole the dangerous classes on their own ground and turn them away from anarchy, infidelity and socialism".(45)

Both here and overseas the Salvation Army works with a variety of fundamentalist Christian groups, for example to try and restrict abortion rights and bring in government censorship of music and literature.

During the period when South Africa didn't allow black people to vote, the Army took money from their government. In Indonesia they have reportedly worked with the Suharto government. They stayed silent about human rights abuses by both these governments.

The Salvation Army act directly as case managers for unemployed people through their own private Job Network agency.(46) Their penetration and control of areas of the welfare system means that a fundamentalist religious group is now in direct control over poor people, funded by the government (in other words, by taxpayers).

The Salvation Army has provided food, entertainment and moral support to Australian troops in almost every war they have been involved in. (47) Their official histories leave out any mention of the unpopular Vietnam War. They have provided food to military exercises which help train the Indonesian military, and other armies who use their training to abuse their own people's human rights.(48)

As noted earlier, the Salvation Army was part of the exploitation of indigenous people throughout the world. Up until the late 1960s they ran a number of Aboriginal missions where their movements, beliefs and lifestyle were tightly controlled. Aboriginals were confined to these missions and their children forced to follow a strict pattern of work and Christian education. The Army actively participated in removing children from their families and giving them to white families. This history is ignored in their official histories - in fact Aboriginal people aren't mentioned at all.

There are many examples of the Army working with racist authorities overseas as well. They even tried to take over the "Indian Affairs" Department in the USA. They described traditional African religion as "witchcraft" and tried to have any recognition of it removed from South Africa's constitution.(49) They continue to administer parts of Indonesia, and in some cases have gone as far as ordering villagers to change their traditional dances due to their sexual nature.(50)

The Salvation Army has always run its own profit making businesses. Initially all property and businesses were under William Booth's direct control.

In the 1880's they were accused of undercutting other firms by paying lower wages, and of competing with poor laundry women for customers(51). Today they help drive down wages with their workshops, which often exploit disabled people, and people forced to work for them by community service orders and 'work for the dole'.

In Australia the Salvation Army runs a network of shops staffed by volunteers selling donated goods at inflated prices. While they could easily distribute the goods freely to the disadvantaged at no cost, they believe it is important to maintain a money based economy. To avoid oversupplying the market and so cutting down businesses' profit margins, the Army even goes as far as dumping tons of goods and clothing in suburban tips.(52)

The way they run their food and housing is also questionable. Most of the food that the Salvation Army uses for its soup kitchens is free. This food is usually made up from packaged and processed tins of food that are approaching their use by date. This food is inadequate for basic health, but it is dished out to the homeless with the knowledge that they are in no position to complain. You might expect better from an organisation with millions of dollars in property and assets.

In comparison, Food Not Bombs (an organisation mostly made up of anarchists) provides food that is free, healthy and mostly organic (grown without pesticides or harmful chemicals). They get no government funding and make do with borrowed or donated equipment. Work that one out!

When people have attempted to live in disused Army property they have been met with break-ins, the seizure of property and other attacks. In one case the Army called in the police, and then demolished a building rather than have people live in it who were not under their control.(53) Given that the Army owns a huge amount of property throughout Australia, it is likely that there have been numerous evictions like this.

The Army's need to turn a profit draws and nurtures the corrupt within their ranks. This corruption most significantly came to light in 1990 when a series of major scams were unearthed in New South Wales and Victorian branches. A police taskforce was originally set up after a fire destroyed the Salvation Army warehouse in Williamstown. Following the blaze an insurance valuation discovered that thousands of items had disappeared before the fire and could not be accounted for. In the cases that followed a number of Salvation Army members were charged with arson and theft having skinned off cash from the sale of donated clothing. Most of the cash had been drawn from morally suspect sales of donated clothing to Third World countries.(54) Eventually, the Army was forced to admit that it had no internal accounting system for the clothes people had donated and that such scams could have been going on for years.(55) With Salvation Army industries constantly expanding and nothing but a moral break to prevent management ripping off money, continued corruption is inevitable.

Public donations to the Salvation Army have been decreasing since the 1950s. The introduction of the Red Shield Appeal in 1967 helped slightly, but in the past few years the Army has once again reported a major drop in donations - something it has blamed on legalised gambling.

In the face of decreasing funds the organisation has once again turned to strengthening its ties with the government. Since the 1880's the Army has enjoyed government funding in Australia. While the community sector in general has seen major funding cuts from recent governments, the Army has increased their share of the pie by tendering out for services such as case management and care for the homeless. It has also increased its income by empire building at other charities' expense with its most recent coup seeing itself secure its position as Sydney's only supplier of food packages to the needy.

By supporting conservative religious charities state and federal governments aim to reduce their responsibility, spending and accountability while at the same time stopping economic circumstances from getting too extreme. In this way the Salvation Army contributes to attacks on welfare rights. It is possible that in the long run the Army will return to its traditional role as the only form of welfare available to the lower classes. Indeed it has been known to champion itself as a cheaper alternative to the welfare state.(56)

The Salvation Army has also built on its corporate ties. Companies with dodgy track records on the treatment of workers and the environment, such as BHP and McDonalds, have flocked to support the charity that has traditionally supported them. Chain stores such as K-Mart have begun helping the Salvation Army in return for the enhancement of corporate image that such "good works" bring. The Salvation Army has been using McDonalds to help people out on fundraising door knocks through the offer of free burgers. Such policies can only push the Army to grovel ever more completely to the rich. A clear example of the compromises forced upon them was the recall of 6000 copies of the War Cry in 1993 after one Salvationist criticised McDonalds' food as unhealthy. Following the burger giant's continued displeasure a public apology was also issued.(57)

The Salvation Army has always made temperance (not drinking alcohol) a central platform of its religious strategies. Although it no longer disrupts pubs and gathering places with its meetings the Army lobbies the government heavily in trying to restrict personal freedoms and continue the destructive 'war on drugs'. When faced with the fact that the Bible makes no reference to modern drug use Salvationists resort to the argument that the body is the "temple of the soul" and that its abuse is sinful.(58) This doesn't lead them to oppose pollution or boycott McDonalds for some reason...

The Army's attitudes would be merely amusing if not for the fact that they force them upon others. Most insidiously they base their rehabilitation schemes on 'Twelve Step programs'. These programs see the embrace of a higher power as the eventual cure for the "disease" of alcoholism and the Salvation Army is on record as stating that "only God can cure alcoholism, not human agencies".(59) As usual the Salvoes concentrate on individual fault (sin) and fail to address the social causes of addiction.

In regards to drug reform the Army pushes a hard line, rejecting the growing calls from counselors, courts and anti-drug campaigners for decriminalisation measures. Salvationist literature harks back to the 1930s by equating marijuana with the use of hard drugs. It also falsely characterises drug-related crime as being related to drug use alone, not to the police corruption and organised crime monopoly that prohibition has created. In 1997 the Salvation Army came out in full support for the continued ban on drugs and called for a tougher line on drug enforcement policies - policies that even the police admit are not working and which penalise drug users rather than the suppliers.(60) The Salvation Army was jubilant in its success in defeating the proposed Canberra heroin trials and more recently noted its disappointment with Victorian police for introducing a caution system for drug offences. This is all despite them acknowledging that alcohol abuse is far more of a problem for society and that alcohol prohibition in the US (which they also supported) actually increased alcohol intake.(61)

The Army's line on gambling is similarly confused and counterproductive. Whilst they admit that (yet again) the Bible has no record of this practice they still attempt to condemn it on the grounds that it is unchristian, "incurs injury on others" and lacks certainty. This logic is not applied to the currency speculators and stockbrokers who gamble with our economic future every day. The recent loosening of laws relating to casinos and poker machines across Australia has seen the Army and other churches push for new bans on the basis of declining church coffers. The Salvation Army has even gone as far as to condemn computer and arcade games.(62) Whilst the negative effects of gambling cannot be ignored it is clear that the Salvation Army is unable to address the wider social questions that their abuse pose.

Although the Salvation Army has on occasion provided food and shelter to striking workers during industrial disputes, its treatment of its own employees has by and large reflected a mean and patronising attitude. The Army has particularly abused the large pool of volunteer labour, which it uses to raise money and staff its community services.

The Salvation Army has particularly created a number of problems in its use of low-income tenants to supervise youth deemed "at risk". In these situations the Army sets up a foster parent style arrangement in which tenants receive housing and some food in return for living with and taking care of a teenager. The tenants receive no cash income, which is not only exploitative in itself, but which also helps the Army to avoid taking legal responsibility for the many problems that occur. In a number of cases tenants have found themselves in dangerous situations which they have not been trained to deal with. When injured they have had no recourse to compensation since technically they are not employees of the Salvation Army.(63)

A recent case saw a young mother's child killed by the son of a Salvation Army officer who was in her care. She herself was sexually assaulted and nearly killed in the house where she cared for homeless teenagers. Because she was a tenant and not a formal employee the Army refused to pay her compensation or give her aid, as Work Cover did not cover her. After going to the media and embarrassing the Army into helping her she stated "I want to feel conciliatory instead of bitter, but it's just a pity it took media exposure to produce this sort of a commitment from a supposedly charitable organisation".(64)

Another example of the Salvation Army's poor treatment of workers is its use of community service, 'work for the dole', trainee and disabled labour in its programs. In the case of disabled workers, the Army employs them from its own 'sheltered workshops' to labour for only $8 a day. Workers are forced into receiving low wages for fear of losing their government pensions.(65) Those who would argue that no one else would hire these workers should consider the fact that the Army could easily provide more enjoyable and educational programs for them to take part in.

In the case of people who are sentenced to community service, the Salvation Army is consistently a winner as it uses them both as a promotional device for its "good works" and as a source of cheap labour. Community service workers are not allowed to dine with other workers and in some cases must also pay rent and live at Salvation Army shelters while working off their court sentence.(66) People on rehabilitation schemes and some homeless trainees are also made to work for meager wages while paying to live in Army accommodation. Women are banned from such accommodation, Army officers can enter individuals' rooms at any time and a curfew of midnight is enforced.

The only way the Army gets away with such practices is through its use of Community Service and Charity laws, which allow "special work areas" immunity from union 'interference'. Outside of its workshops the Salvation Army is also quick to resist unionisation. The Australian Social Welfare Union has spoken out in the past about attempts by a variety of charity organisations, including the Army, to prevent workers from joining unions to gain protection from unfair dismissal. In New South Wales welfare workers do not even have a minimum wage guideline and charities have lobbied to prevent one being established.(67)

The Salvation Army is particularly notorious among charities. In 1990 over 1500 of its welfare workers struck in protest against their treatment and there have been ongoing problems since. In 1991 the Army also attempted to replace drivers in its Melbourne transport depot with contract labour. Workers with many years' service were given a 15 minute notice of their sacking and a non-negotiated redundancy package. Quick thinking action ensured the Salvation Army had to back down on at least some of their decisions, but they had shown their attitude yet again.

Having outlined various problems with the Salvation Army we can now clearly define it as an organisation committed to the curtailment of personal freedoms, the oppression of minorities and the maintenance of the political and economic status quo. In supporting religious charity over social change the Salvation Army has helped ensure a future for itself in picking over the wreckage of a profit based society.

There are alternatives to Salvation Army style charity and morality however. It is important to acknowledge that should you require their resources to survive then you should use them. It is equally important not to have any illusions about what they're doing for you and why they're doing it. Those of us in less desperate straits need to put our energy into supporting forms of self-activity like squatting, Food Not Bombs and so on. These practices allow people to provide for themselves instead of being at the mercy of charities.

While we need to provide alternatives to charity we also have to fight for a decent share of the spoils of society. We need to establish at minimum the right for everyone to a living income. In the longer term we need to replace all forms of structural inequality and to create a more equal society overall. With such changes in place both the need for charity and the power it has over us can be dispensed with.

In the years since this article was originally written the Salvation Army has greatly expanded its power base. This has largely been enabled by the federal government's privatisation of the Job Network. By decentralising the sections that oversee and police those reliant on social security the government has both divested itself of responsibility and also provided a massive financial grant to their friends in the conservative charities.

The largest private operator in the Job Network, the Salvation Army has proven itself no more able to find people jobs than the old system was. With eight job seekers for every job this is hardly surprising. What the Army has excelled at though is the harassment of the unemployed. With an openly discriminatory hiring policy the Army only employs Christians in their Job Network franchises.

The government's investment in conservative charities has paid off in two ways. Not only have they got the charities doing their dirty work, they have also bought their silence. Saint Vincent De Paul, one of the few charities not on the government's Job Network payroll, complained that Centrelink were forcing many people off the dole and onto their emergency services. Not a peep was heard from the Salvation Army.

The Army's refusal to criticise the government probably stems from the fact that they are partly responsible for the situation. Many of the people forced to seek emergency help were doing so because their payments had been breached due to Job Network incompetence. Each year sees tens of thousands of people successfully appeal against these breaches. While someone is making plenty of mistakes, the only people paying for them are the unemployed.

Saint Vincent De Paul also opposed being made a wing of the government's welfare apparatus. This has been happening quietly but steadily due to Centrelink and the Job Network's habit of referring people to charities instead of giving them government assistance. Again it is unsurprising that the Salvation Army didn't join in these criticisms, as their long standing goal is to corner all sections of the welfare market for themselves! For the sake of those unemployed people who aren't non-drinking, gay bashing, right wing Christians we hope that they fail.

More recently the Army has said nothing about the fact that people who go through 'work for the dole' are no more likely to find work than people who don't. Tony Abbott, the Minister for Employment, flatly admitted that the point of the schemes was not to find people work, but to teach them discipline. Discipline for what though? To sit quietly and not complain about the lack of real work available or teach them to cop any old job, no matter how casual or dangerous? Why would the Salvation Army complain about conscripting the unemployed, when they are making a profit out of them?

The government's funding has also seen the Army's backward ideas on religion and morality step further out of the shadows. Whilst in the past the organisation has tended to promote itself mainly as a charity, its status as a religion is coming to the fore. As noted before their new found wealth has seen them blatantly break anti-discrimination laws with a "Christians only" policy in hiring Job Network staff.

They have also become more open in their evangelical activities. Most notably they have invested their Job Network profits in a total makeover of their paper the War Cry. Gone are the stories advocating psychological reprogramming of gays and lesbians and the burning of heavy metal. Gone are the blurry photos of grannies playing tubas. In their place is a glossy full colour magazine with a Christian rock star or actor on every cover. The stories now contain non-controversial topics and are more slickly written. Positive tales of the transforming power of Christ are in, negative attitudes towards other peoples' behaviour are out. Overall they have transformed the War Cry from an internal bulletin to an outward looking recruitment tool. One that can be increasingly pushed on to those they come into contact with through their charity shops and other ventures.

Lastly it is worth nothing that the group's newfound confidence has also allowed them to increase their influence over the population at large. They have stepped up their lobbying efforts in relation to gambling, sexuality and drug use and with social conservatives ruling both the ALP and Coalition they have scored a number of victories in issues like stopping safe injecting rooms. At the same time the politicians have increased the level of censorship and passed a number of laws restricting civil rights. For the Salvation Army all this has been a bonus, for the rest of us a disaster.

So now more than ever remember to take the twelve steps and just say no to the Salvation Army!

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Auld-bod

Dec 20 2013 14:44

The starvation army:

George Orwell has some scathing things to say about his experiences of the army in ‘Down And Out in Paris and London’.

Some time ago I read/heard that one third of all the money gathered by the army is spent on brass instruments (this may be true of the UK only). This was in the context of the recession, which has affected the manufacture of brass instruments since the advent of rock’n’roll.

My granny was a militant member of the ILP in the first half of the 20th century and an atheist. She surprised her family, I’ve been told (I was an infant when she died), by leaving the army a wee token of her gratitude for the soup the family received during the depression. Weird but true.

Some time ago I read/heard that one third of all the money gathered by the army is spent on brass instruments (this may be true of the UK only). This was in the context of the recession, which has affected the manufacture of brass instruments since the advent of rock’n’roll.

Wouldn't surprise me.

Also in todays copy of Private eye there's a section confirming that the UK Salvation Army remains in the "Workfare" program, forcing unemployed to work for them for free.

In the Australian context they are also contracted by the Immigration Department to help run (and provide a humanitarian cover for) the concentration camps in PNG and Nauru. They've also been involved in covering up various rapes and abuse of asylum seekers occurring in those camps:

They have a long history of abusing and covering up the abuse of children in their care in Australia, and are currently being investigated by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.

Their contract to work on Manus Island and Nauru isn't being renewed when it expires in February, but note that this the Immigration Department's decision, not the Salvos':

You're right, there are lots of reasons to reject the Salvation Army. But my grandad fought in WWII, and although he wouldn't talk about the horrors of the war, he did say many times that the Sally Army were always there with a cup of tea and a hot meal for the troops. So I quash my conscience and I give them a couple of quid for his sake.

So I quash my conscience and I give them a couple of quid for his sake.

That's a pretty awful way of honouring your Grandad, using him as an excuse to fund all these vile practices. Wouldn't it be better to give to or volunteer at another organisation that doesn't have such a dark past for his sake?

Children at a Salvation Army home in Queensland were fed food donated for animals, savagely beaten, sexually abused and locked in a cage, an inquiry has been told.

The royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse, which is examining four homes run by the Salvos in New South Wales and Queensland from 1966-77, has been told that evidence to be given of corporal punishment and sexual abuse at the homes were some of the most disturbing the commission had heard.

It is at the "severe end of abuse" examined by the commission, the opening of a two-week hearing in Sydney heard on Tuesday.

Simeon Beckett, counsel assisting the commission, said the commission would hear many allegations about five identified officers, "Laurence Wilson, Russell Walker, Victor Bennett, John McIver and Donald Schultz".

Walker, Schultz and McIver are still alive and have been given notice of the hearing.

He said the evidence against Wilson, who died in 2008, would shock.

Beckett said the commission would be examining the response of the Salvation Army to child sexual abuse within two Queensland homes for boys, Alkira at Indooroopilly and the Endeavour training farm at Riverview, as well as Bexley Boys Home in Sydney and the Gill Memorial Home in Goulburn, NSW.

Outlining the evidence that would be presented, Beckett said 13 people would give evidence of severe and disturbing abuse at all the homes.

At the Endeavour farm, one witness would tell how he was made to sort fruit and vegetables given to the farm to feed the animals, picking out what could be given to the boys.

If he made a wrong choice, he was flogged.

"Other forms of punishment included sweeping the playground with a toothbrush, cleaning 50 pairs of shoes ... and on one occasion forcing a boy to eat his own vomit."

Boys were also locked in a cage on the home's verandah for up to two weeks as punishment. Children were raped and beaten. Bennett was said to beat boys until they bled.

Beckett also said there had been an inquiry in Queensland in 1999 and a senate inquiry into the Salvation Army homes.

"In 1976, a childcare officer expressed extreme concern at what was happening and reported `the normal behaviours for Alkira is absconding, truancy and stealing. How desperate do children have to become?',"
Beckett said.

He added that evidence would show that the Salvation Army moved personnel around.

The royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse heard on Tuesday how boys at one Salvation Army home ate grass and raw potatoes because they were so hungry.

Raymond Carlile, who was seven when he and his younger brother were sent to a Salvos home at Riverview in Queensland in the 1950s, also told the inquiry that children who had wet the bed were made to sleep on a veranda with just a lattice frame between them and the elements.
His brother, who had a kidney removed before he was sent to the home, endured the punishment. They were so hungry his brother ate grass.

"I tried to encourage him to eat the potatoes", said Carlile, who recalled how he found raw potatoes stored under the veranda and ate them.

Carlile said he witnessed boys being caned until they bled. He said Salvation Army officer Lieutenant Laurence Wilson was the most brutal.
"Lieutenant Wilson glorified in punishment. He used to froth at the mouth," Carlile said.

In his opening statement to the commission, counsel assisting Simeon Beckett said evidence would identify Wilson, who died in 2008, as the most prolific of the alleged child sexual abusers in the Salvation Army eastern territory.

Beckett said 15 known victims of Wilson had been identified. Wilson raped boys, forced them to have sex with one another, flogged them and threatened them with further punishment if they disclosed their treatment to anyone.
The commission has identified five officers of the Salvation Army about whom there are serious allegations. Three are still alive.

Wilson served in all four of the homes being examined by the commission – the Alkira boys home at Indooroopilly and the Endeavour training farm at Riverview, both in Queensland, and the Bexley Boys Home in Sydney and the Gill Memorial home in Goulburn, NSW.

Wilson was summarily dismissed from the Salvation Army in 1961 but accepted back in 1966 and went on to run homes in NSW.
The Salvation Army has made a number of ex-gratia payments to victims, ranging from $50,000 to $100,000.

Kate Eastman, senior counsel representing the Salvation Army, told the hearing: "The Salvation Army feels deep regret for every instance of child sexual abuse inflicted on children who were in our care.
"We are grieved that such things happened. We acknowledge that it was a failure of the greatest magnitude."

The entire homelessness industry has questions to answer about how they are treating those they claim to support, but none has sunk so low as Jesus’ little fucking helpers in the Salvation Army.

A local paper in York reports that the Salvation Army are now teaming up with the police in a scheme which will could see homeless people grassed up to the DWP if they are caught begging.

According to the paper, Salvation Army members, along with the police and local council busy-bodies will be patrolling the streets of York hunting for beggars. The charity claim they will provide housing advice whilst the police will be ‘reminding people’ that begging is against the law, no doubt by arresting them. Not to be outdone, representatives from York Council say they will inform the DWP if people found begging are receiving any benefits. Which means their benefits will be stopped. And they’ll have to beg more.

None of this will trouble the Salvation Army, who are quite happy to have people’s benefits sanctioned themselves should someone refuse to work without pay in one of their shit charity shops. Some charities have warned that benefit sanctions are causing people to beg just to be able to buy food. This latest initiative will ensure that in York at least, anyone sanctioned by the Salvation Army and forced to beg will now face harassment and possible arrest under a scheme part run by the same Salvation Army. A vicious noose is being tied around the neck of some of the poorest and most marginalised people in the UK. And everyday some of the UK’s best known charities help pull it a little bit tighter.

First and foremost I'll be honest and present who I am, to avoid being accused of being a troll.

I live in Denmark and was born into the Salvation Army (SA) as fourth generation on my maternal side. And yes I've been in the Baby Brigade (as it was called then) and I've been Junior Solidier, Corps Cadet and Senior Soldier in SA. Today I'm not really active, mostly due to circumstances e.g. distance to the church and the fact that I smoke and occasionally drink - I have voluntarily chosen not to wear uniform because I smoke - I have never been asked to do so. But when I participate in things I do it wholeheartedly - and I would feel, that I deceited, if I professed to be a non-smoker and totally abstaining from alcohol, when in fact I'm not. But it also means I have not been encapsuled into SA for my whole life or just been brainwashed to "like" SA and accept everything SA as good and indiscussable. E.g. I do know of negative instances like
* power abuse (it is no excuse, but power abuse is not isolated to SA, but is found in both religious, secular, political etc. organisation) e.g. using your rank to control other peoples life
* extreme church discipline like being cast out/schoning- literally being told to leave, and former friends refuse to speak to or socialize with you - fortunately not practiced any more, at least not in Denmark (of course I can't say how individuals in the SA react in reality, as the members are ordinary humans with flaws, not saints - but schoning is neither accepted, nor encouraged by SA) - the central part of christian moral is loving your fellowman AS YOURSELF - even despite disagreements and differences - even your enemy - and you help a man who falls by helping him back on his own feets, not by turning your back to him.
* older officers being very conservative enforcing old rules that the army has revoked/abandoned since it was rather victorian moral, than strictly christian moral, or simply being ridiculous since time has changed (e.g. advices on health based on obsolete scientific information).

Politically I'm revolutionary (enlightenment of the proletariate to make them capable of taking their own stand against oppression), christian-socialist, anarchist, anti-authoritarian, anti-imperialist and pacifist (which places me far left politically both by ordinary and christian standards - but in many aspects the historical Jesus of Nazareth was revolutionary and proletar

I won't speak about australian affairs of SA, as I simply do not know enough about it, and thus I would be a dishonest, ignorant besserwisser, if did so. As such I neither deny, nor confirm the info. Again it is not an excuse, but a simple fact, that extreme discipline and abuse of children - until a few decades ago - were not isolated issues in SA instistitutions, but were seen both in institutins run by religous, secular, governmental and political organisations. SA has admitted it happened, taken a official stance against it and in general been rooted out. In those days education of workers in child and youth institions was virtually non-existing - even among officials and senior workers. Ignorance is no excuse, but most people find it hard to believe, that close, loving co-workers, friends and family could at the same time be monsters against children - consequently they tend to convince themselves, that it actually misunderstandings, exageration or harassment/character murder - it is quite human to react so, even though it is naive seen in the light of later evidence. Then it is pretty possible, that bad decissions are taken, with the most loving and honest intentions - or with the intention of punishing or curing the individual internally, instead of involving secular authorities - in my opinion that practice is not acceptable - divine mercy is not a secular pardon or probation - for the sake of the victim, every criminal offender has to accept the courts FAIR punishment for the offence - jails does not make people better, but the offender avoiding just punishment, is like rubbing salt and dirt into an open wound - it just ad to the injustice already done to the victim.

What is nescessary to say is, that all decissions are NOT taken in London - in that fashion SA is in no way top-controlled - there is a great degree of autonomy in territories and divisions. And officers as well as soldiers are ordinary humans with flaws - thus a well liked territorial or divisional commander etc. can take bad decissions for years before it being realised and actions accordingly taken to stop it. It is true, that leaders has been moved around, especially in the past - but the primary course has simply been to
* avoid people to root in their function and become laid back, thus disabling the work of SA
* avoid bad decissions and habits continuing for decades - new eyes often see, what other people overlook
But it has not been a general, official intention to move problem leaders from place to place in order to cover up problems and keeping the SA image intact - the intentions behind frequent relocations was to prevent problems - but it is beyond doubt, that individuals have benefitted negatively from being moved frequently before issues had time to surface locally, and thus avoiding it surfafacing in broader circles for prolonged time. Else we wouldn't be adressing the question at all.

And now we are ready to speak about the article 'Starvation Army'. It written by the an anarchist 'Skeleton Army' ignorant of the fact, that the original 'Skeleton Army' was run by capitalist pubowners threatened on their profitable businesses - capitalist pubowners deliberately abused the poverty of the working class - with slogans about e.g. a bottle of Gin being cheaper than bread, the working class was kept in poverty and oppression, since whole families (adults as well as children) and orphans were served and getting dead drunk - and dead drunk people are seldom able to organize in solidarity and stand up against oppression - SA literally removed customers from capitalist pubowners by getting people sober, dressed and fed - and under the name 'skeleton army' the pubowners responded by inciting rogues to violently attack the SA soldiers. Probably the anarchist authors of the article did not intend to compare themselves to the capitalist pubowners oppressing people - but that is what they did.

And now to the inaccuracies of the article. SA has never denied that their primary goal is the salvation of souls, neither historically, nor presently. But a central point in christianity is loving your fellowman AS YOURSELF - and as pointed out above - despite disagreements and differences. Already before leaving the methodist church - in accordance with wesleyan theology - William Booth pointed out, that people deceit both themselves and others, if they profess christianity on Sundays, but do as they please the rest of the week - instead he encouraged his congregation to live out the christian fellowman-love the awake hours of the day, 7 days a week, 52 week a year - meaning every day, not just sundays.

Booth was pawnbroker of trade, but not by choice. The decission for young William was taken by his father, who had experienced economic misfortune. William hated the job, he learned how deep people had sunken into poverty, and when possible (which was seldom for an apprentice) he offered a slightly higher price than the pawnbroker might have liked - e.g. when a mother could not feed her child, because her husband had spended the scarce money on booze. Not because William was a saint, but out of solidarity with the poor and straight forward compassion. And of course he learned about money, and how to collect and administer them thoroughly.

It was in his youth William found his dear Jesus and first felt the calling - or you might say obsession - to save the poor from their miserable lives - of course his 'vision' of 'a better world' did not shape overnight, but during the years to come. And visionary people tend to be obsessed with their vision - often to a point where other people might regard them insanely obsessed. His first stunt was to invite some poor people to church - but to Williams surprise, this reformed methodist congregation felt offended, because the poor people smelled and did not know how to behave "correctly" - (methodism was more branched in those days consisting of many differing independent congregations) - logically they smelled because they had no opportunity to bath and only one scarce set of clothes - and since this congretation had shown no interest in the poor, rather ignored them, of course they did not know what was expected of them, and thus could not behave accordingly.

Later on Booth received informal training in theology from a scholared minster - but he did not go to college, and he got stuck with the latin, greek and hebrew languages - which explains his simple, direct and passionate preaching. He married Cathrine Mumford (who herself turned out to be controversial in victorian times) e.g. defending womens right to preach (which was unheard). And he became parish minister (entitled General Superintendent meaning ordinary supervisor - as the congregation was indepentdent, there was no Superintendent/Bishop above him). He never fit fully into this job - intead of settling he travelled around campaigning in other methodist congregations - eventually he apllied to this group of independent methodist congregations to become travelling preacher - they almost talked him into take on another parish instead, but his wife Catherine shouted: "No!" And thus the case was closed. William, Catherine and their children left their "comfortable" parish and moved to East London living in deep poverty. Now Booth was a streetpreacher - and for a short while he regretfully had to work for a pawnbroker, just to provide for his family. Eventually he met likeminded people and they started the East London Christian Mission in 1865 - and some of his closest co-workers jokingly called him General - based on his old title. The General did not spare himself, but led on by his own example - again he was no saint - he simply did not expect more of other people, than he demanded of himself - and in some way that might be considered close to being fanatical.

Neither the mission, nor SA was revolutionary in the socialist or anarchist understanding. Rather it was a grass root movement eventually cracking the foundations of the capitalist society. Of course you may complain about having to work without payment in exchange for your dole. But in those days unemployment=>no money=>begging & starvation - or public working houses considered a condition worse than death, with many hours hard manual labour and whipping in exchange for starvation rations - and employment was not much better - hard manual labour 12 hours a day, 6 days a week with starvation wages and no vacation - working environment was so bad, that getting 40 years old was a high age, children dying at work before growing up was common and so was growing up missing one or both parents. When the employers would not listen and improve the working conditions, SA's response was starting a competing factory with better working environmenment and higher wages - e.g. a safety match factory, because workers in conventional match factories died within 5-10 years due sulphur poisoning. And as the profit was channelled primary into charity, you can hardly speak about "gentle industrial capitalism", but rather redistribution of the wealth. And yes, in SA factories it was prohibited to drink during working hours - strange in those days, but common today. But by proving that a factory could be run with better working environments and higher salaries forced the capitalist employers to improve their working conditions, to keep the experienced workers.

In cold winters SA opened emergency shelters and SA members would use their spare time (after their ordinary work) collecting unconscious homeless people, who without help would have died of hypothermia.

And regarding alcohol - in the early days of the Christian Mission there was no alcohol policy - e.g. wine would be served at the christian meetings (eucharist/holy supper). But since many of the "converts" were "dried" alcohol abusers, it was unreasonably tempting to offer them wine etc. It makes no sense, encouraging a person to stop drinking, because the person can't control his consumption, and then hand him a drink. Consequently the mission stopped practising the sacrament, but of course the members could participate in eucharist with another congregation. And then Booth took it one step further. Would his "bad" example of drinking occasionally, lead to "dried" alcohol abusers falling through? And then he stated, if his example lead his fellowman to fall, he would never, ever drink alcohol again. His decission was made in solidarity with his fellowman. And since his co-workers agreed, it became a principle rising from need, not a moral rule. And while smoking was disencouraged by William Booth as unhealthy, but e.g. soldiers in Denmark were not prohibited from smoking before the mid 20th century, many years after his death, and in 1987 (danish 100 year aniversary) we experienced australian soldiers smoking while wearing uniform, which would be regarded highly unusual by danish standards even before the danish smoking ban. As such the smoking ban has not been enforced unanimously everywhere, confirming the degree of SA's regional autunomy

The content of the '11 doctrines' also known as 'The Articles of War' referred to in the article does not differ from the creed of other christian churches. Nothing special about that. Neither is the stance on sex before marriage, extramarital sex and swearing, or more correctly prohibition against fornication, adultery and cursing - which is also mainstream christianity - and clearly derived from christian teaching, not Booths own thoughts. Drinking and gamling are so-called mid-things - they are not sinful themselves, but might lead to sin - when you are heavily drunk, you might not be in control of what you do and gambling has led to great misfortune - e.g. my family tradition claims loosing a manor with fields overnight in gambling literally removing the means to survive thus hurting the family - not to mention ludomania leading to not just lost property but deceitful crimes in order to finance the unhealthy gambling thus hurting other people.

SA has military language and organisation - partially because it is efficient - partially for symbolical reasons:
* SA fights the devils bad influence on peoples lives, and the members are devoted to cause rather than volunteers=>SA consist of soldiers
* the uniform is "workin clothes" - it does not mean: "I am better ther than other people!" - rather it means: "I want to be a fellowman towards my fellowman" - time might have made the uniform obsolete, but the intention was nice - and the resemblance to the Police Uniform might have disencouraged violence occasionally...
* much of the military language is simply abstract, and it is seldom supposed to be understood literally
- loading a cartridge: put money into an envelope
- firing a cartridge: put the envelope into a collection basket - equals to paying member fee to e.g. a political party - the soldier decides how much to pay - there is no minimum - you are not excluded for not paying, though you are expected to support the cause
- fire a volley: clap approvingly
- mobile fieldtrip: open air meeting some miles from the corps building
- corps: church building and its members
- division: smaller regional area
- territory: larger regional area
- HQ/Headquarters: divisional, national and international offices
- drill: prayer service
- transfer order: today, simply a confirmation from HQ on which place the officer has agreed to work next time
- soldiers passport: membership confirmation
- non-commissioned officer: comparable to subdeacon, acolyte, lictor, member of parish council etc.
- officer: comparable to deacon, minister, priest, (arch)bishop etc.
- commisioner: staffchief for a group of territories - informally comparable to cardinal
- general: elected top representative - informally comparable to a patriarch/or pope
It isn't tongue-in-cheek, but somewhat comparable.

William Booth was recognized by his Co-workers as International Leader of the Army. William Booth pointed at his son, Bramwell as the next General and the high ranking officers never opposed this choice - and Bramwell was respected and loved. The mentioned "coup" against Bramwell was orchestrated according to guidelines GIVEN BY William Booth HIMSELF. When a General is unable to fulfill his DUTIES e.g. due to age, bad health, mental illness etc. the High Council ( Colonel Lieutenants, Colonels and Commisioners) assembles to elect a new General. Bramwell was getting HAD been ill for month and unable to fulfill his duties - when Bramwell against advice denied to retire, the High Counsil reluctantly assembled to retire Bramwell and elect a new General. Unfortunately Bramwell, unexpectedly went to court to annull the decission - but as it was simple contract law, the officers having accepted Bramwell as International Leader could also choose to retire him, espescially since the founder of the organisation had written the guidelines for such actions. Only REAL change besides the court confirming the councils decission, and the Parliament subsequently promoting the court decission from common law to Salvation Army Act, was that subsequent Generals were elected for a limited period with possibility of prolonging to avoid recurring situations. And the 3rd General did not assume office before the case was settled in court.

I'd like to elaborate on aspects of the other 11 reasons,, and if requested will do, but this has already become quite an epistle, and I'm hardly through the articles reason #1.

SA in Denmark along with Christian Peoples Party (today Christian Democrats) were among the first christian organizations in the eighties to immediately recognizethe Law on Registered Partnership, juridically equalling homosexual partners with heterosexual partners except the term (marriage versus registered partnership) - both to state that there is difference between taking a spiritual stance, and enforcing this stance legally on people who don't share the stance - and to avoid what became the sad result in 2013, when the Law on Same Sex Marriage in a misguided attempt of equality meant oppression of religion, and discriminating christian homosexuals members of other denominations compared to christian homosexual members in the Danish Lutheran Church (state.

Yes things has taken it's time reaching this point of tolerance. And despite changes, old ignorance take time to root out - especially since homosexuality clinically was regarded a mental disease until the early eighties - thus ignorance was substantiated by secular science. And yes, the Bible defines practised homosexuality as sin - but not a worse or less bad sin. One of the danish SA leaders is openly homosexual, but abstaining - showing how tolerant the SA can be towards homosexuals.

SA is not a religious cult - I have read the statement once in church history - and I have studied secular, historical critical, "liberal theology", but I still claim it is not true.
* the first 'Article of War' confirm the belief in the One, Living, Trinitarian God, which is the defined core belief of the christianity since the 4th century - most christianity derived sects differ in this issue e.g. unitarian, binitarian, bitheist, tritheist, adoptionist and arian - unitarian, tritheist and neo-arian being most common in modern sects
* sects usually decribe themselves as the true church, while other christian denominations are fallen heretics, or at best misguided. SA has (or accept, as it might not be mutual) full community with christian denomination officially or principally sharing the belief of the nicene-constantinopolitan creed and the apostolic creed both dating before the great east-west schism
* William Booth is revered equally with other significant co-workers of the faith, e.g. the 12 Apostles, John Mark, Luke, Saul Paulus, Jonah BarNabyah, the Seventy, the martyrs, the Apostolic Fathers, early Church Fathers like Augustine and the Capadokian Fathers, Francis of Assissi, Martin Luther, John and Charles Wesley and Martin Luther King to mention a few, but in no way compared to Roman Catholism, where local Saint cults may take the form idol worship, against the official doctrine of the catholic church - and like most protestants salvos don't invocate saints.
* God's Own System, as referred has not been strictly followed for decades. It is like describing Lutherans as antisemitic based on Luther's "Table Sermons", Sevent Day Adventism as tritheist based on the early millerian revival before the split from e.g. Jehovahs Vitnesses, and mennonist as armed rebels because anababtist revolted in one german town. I asked permission from noone to date, not even my parents, when I was teenager - when my girlfriend and I engaged it was our sole decission, and the only objection to our marriage was, that we were young - just at legal age, which was right. Marriage ceremonies can be peformed by SA officers, in the corps between a salvo and a non salvo. My brother is officer with the rank of Major, but his wife is "just" civil member. And despite the fact, that it is publicly known, that I smoke and occasionally drink, I'm still on the roll (membership record)
* smoking aint just considered unchristian behavior because William Booth said so - Paul states that the body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit, and consequently Soren Kirkegaard - lutheran christian and "father" of the philosophical school of existencialism - spoke of a healthy soul in a healthy body - wether smoking is unchristian is discussed across protestant denominations and at least two christianity derived sects (Jehovah Witnesses and Latter Day Saints) - the questions is about the christian lifestyle and how christians threat the Temple.
* SA's social work is indirect evangelical work, because SA try to live their christianity, rather than "just" professing or believing without consequences for the daily life. The social work is directly mirrored on the work of the deacons in the Jerusalem Church around year 35 - according to Acts Steven one of the first deacons ("servant" taking care of charity e.g. feeding the poor) became the first martyr for outspoken preaching the word - thus according to the oldest "church record", the Bible, charity and preaching went hand in hand. Jesus is quoted in the same Bible, in the parable about separating the sheep from the bucks, saying that the way believers threat others, prisoners, the poor and even the least minor, is principally, how believers (would) threat Jesus - oppression, exploitation, neglect, hatred etc. is hardly the way to threat the center of your faith - but compassion and good deeds seems more appropriate - even Jesus himself is reported to mix charity and preaching, when feeding the 5000+ and later the 4000+ people after a afternoon long sermon - nothin new, strange or "heretical" about that. As clearly illustrated in the light of the Bible, social work is not just a recruitment method, it is a natural part of the life expected from all christians no matter of denomination, and it is a Service to God, just as Mass (Sunday Service) is. And it has also been a recruitment method for 2000 years - nothing new or fishy about that - the Apostle Peter was called to "fisher of men".
* the 12 Step Programs is commonly known as the "Minnesota Cure" - originally developed by protestant christians in Minnesota - later adopted by secular private and governmetal therapeut all over the world - as well as religious therapist from other world religions - simply because it works - to not force God in the throat of people, and for peoples of other world religions being able to use it instead of God it says 'High Power' - from a secular, clinical (jungian) perspective it doesn't matter wether this high power is God, Brahma, the Spaghetti monster, or your own willpower since it simply is something understandable you grip until you feel confident in yourself - and believers of different religions will disagree, and says it matter which high power you resort to - in the end it is a matter of faith, mystical, cult like
* and since evangelism and social work goes hand in hand, and because there is religious freedom, the SA does not participate in programs that forbid preaching - socialist and anarchist would not participate in similar programs forbidding to present left wing political views

SA is not apolitical - and SA is not party political either. Meaning that christianity isn't limited to one political ideology, while it is closer related to socialism, social-liberation and conservatism, than to stalinism, liberalism and fascism e.g. based on loving your fellowmen as yourself and treat them fair and friendly. The SA has stated opinions on relevant politic questions, but officers will have to ask a leave, if they plan on joining a politica party and run for office. SA Denmark had an officer, who took a leave to run for parliament.

William Booth wrote the book "In Darkest England" proposing a social political alternative to Elizabethian (old) Poor laws, which is frequently quoted in the article and even gave a speach to the British Parliament on the matter. Catherine Booth actively advocated womens right to christian minstry without being junior to men and a sexual minor age at 16 to stop child prostitution.

Aiding war?
It is a clear statement, that SA support the troops, not the war. A soldiers life in wartime is miserable - and often the soldier is simply fighting the governments war, without even having a real choice (conscription), or understanding the point of loosing that irrationally many comrades to to capture this particular hill, while they could just have surrounded the hill, continued on the course, waiting for the enemy on the hill to capitulate, due to loosing the connection to their main army, killing men alike themselves, who similarly did not choose to go to war, loosing three regiments not protecting those bombed trenches etc. etc. I can't see the problem in making these miserable soldiers life a bit more tolerable. Maybe this caring lassie serving them a doughnut is the only thing that makes sense in a world almost worse than hell - the thing that keeps the soldiers from loosing any faith in humanity of mankind - and thus provide a way back to civil life after the war. Manys an american WWII veterans will tell you, that is the case, and that doughnuts became the american national treasure it is, because every time they ate a doghnut later on, it reminded them of those caring lassies serving them a doughnut on this particular crazy day. And frankly - a doughnut or a cup of soup hardly makes the big difference to the war luck compared to the enemies bullets.

On the other hand WWI was principally about protecting Croatias sovereignty - but it was used as excuse to give the final blow to the Ottoman Empire, initialising 100 years of two-tunged imperialism in the near-, middle- and central east, that the international society still try to patch through interventions instead of admitting, that President Wilson was right when suggesting asking the etnical peoples, what they want, instead of the ancient divide and rule politics, which has kept the area "burning" the last hundred years, to protect western interest. The current fight against ISIS is necessary to stop homiside, but giving air support to anti-western terrorist and iranian Hezbollah to fight ISIS in the iraqi sunni-shia civil war on behalf of the weak shiite dominated iraqi Peoples Army just create new problems. The soldiers miserable life has hardly changed the last 100 years except for more deadly weapons each time. And thus the SA' AND YMCA's service to the soldiers is still relevant - somewhat comparable to red cross.

Racism is an easy "card" to draw. The incidents with the aborigine children removed from their homes are a national tradegy of the australian society - and yes we have heard about that in Denmark. And the danish government made the same tragic mistake among the Kalaalit children in Greenland - thus Denmark is not in a position to point fingers at Australia. But only mentioning SA's participation in the matter without mentioning the religious, secular and governmental organisations participating as well - and 'caucasian' families abusing the situation to get underpaid coloured servants, when they were supposed to provide vocative training.

On the contrary SA is the first christian denomination to have 3 female "patriarchs", the first before WWII. Additionally SA had a "coloured" patriarch in an interracial marriage, as well as officers from many nationalities across the world. That is hardly being racist as organisation!

@Gywerd, I've read all your comments and while I wouldn't call you a troll though I can't really see why you bothered to write so much other than to put a positive spin on the SA.

You don't actually address any of the allegations made by either the article or in the comments, you acknowledge this in your first comment

Quote:

I won't speak about australian affairs of SA, as I simply do not know enough about it, and thus I would be a dishonest, ignorant besserwisser, if did so. As such I neither deny, nor confirm the info.

Which is nice but then you undermine it by continuing to type. All your argument boils down is "The Danish SA isn't that bad" which only tells us the SA is fractured.

And secondly "Other people are horrible too" which is true but please show me were anyone argued that the SA had a monopoly on any of the listed problems? You repeatedly say that bringing up the poor behaviour of others isn't an excuse, but that simply isn't true because you are using it as an excuse. There is no reason for to type -and at such length- about this when no one has claimed the SA is unique.

I'm also giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming your just incredibly naive in some of your assertions.

Quote:

It is a clear statement, that SA support the troops, not the war.

Which is providing logistical support, so the SA does support the war just not directly, you can support troops by ensuring they don't go to war.

Quote:

and often the soldier is simply fighting the governments war, without even having a real choice (conscription),

Yes but the SA does nothing to prevent this sorry state of affairs, your organisation is too busy topping up the Commissariat.

Quote:

On the other hand WWI was principally about protecting Croatias sovereignty - but it was used as excuse to give the final blow to the Ottoman Empire,

???? Croatia was a province of the Hapsburg Empire and had no sovereignty to threaten. And the Ottoman Empire only got involved in the conflict when it struck a deal with Germany, all potential threats to the Ottoman Empire apart from Russia were allied with it. You're not very good at history.

Quote:

On the contrary SA is the first christian denomination to have 3 female "patriarchs", the first before WWII. Additionally SA had a "coloured" patriarch in an interracial marriage, as well as officers from many nationalities across the world. That is hardly being racist as organisation!

The British Empire had Indian royals and African Kings and Chiefs in high positions, Irish gentry and officers, and several Female heads of state (not sure why that's lumped in with race) so I guess the Empire wasn't Racist either since it like the SA rewarded loyal natives. Hell the Nazi's used Jewish Kapo's and police and elder councils to control the Jewish population I guess they weren't anti-Semitic either.

I'm dutch, so forgive me my errors. I've been sexsual abusesd in the salvation army in the netherlands. The story is not so terrible as what happened in Queensland. My foster mother, soldier and youth worker in the SA was a tiran. Isolation, cursing, hitting, often saying I was from devil and would become crazy. I didn't dare to tell when I had an serious accident with a bus. I knew she would hit me and curse. So I hide my wounds. I didn't get enough food, she said I would be just as fat as my biological mom. She had decided when I was grown, I would stay living in a part of her farm. She had decided with whom I would marry.
At 12 started the sexual abuse in the small SA Corps by an SA soldier. When I told it, to two SA soldiers and a Major...I was from the devil..how did I dare tot say something. Isolated, I couldn't tell someone else. His wife was friends with the female major, She was often with her friend and slept in the corps.
On the way to school..the man was waiting for me and picked me out of the line. Days of sexual abuse..week in week out. I couldn't tell no one.
When blood and pus came out of my body..he went on. To make the story short...I came into a hospital, where he came with a knife to intimidate me. For my own safety I came in a closed shelter.
My life became a hell. My school was over.
Some years ago...I started to ask the SA for help. Allthough te prove was there, and they sent me a letter that it really had happened and they were responsible, they didn't do anything. They promised things, like education, therapy, drivers license, dental insurence, fitness for several yeaars for my body wich is harmed by a life filled with stress. It did not happen. They tried to exhaust me, wich happend and I came into the hospital..after their last mail. Problem solved. Again and again they gave false hope. This is the SA netherlands. I know a case where they exhausted someone...5 bypasses. They do everything to cover up sexual abuse. They collect for woman who are sexual abused....yes..to pay their lawyer. And..they have the power...you've got to sign for silence..........SA has destroyed my life. They lied, Till now they only costed me money..I had to pay my own dentist insurence, my own therapy...I couldn't work, because my past. The only thing I asked them give me a place in the society..help the other people who are sexual abused by the SA. Now after years..no help from them end being treated as an enemy..I can tell..they don't want to help people..they want to destroy them. Everything to keep their own name clean.

I don't really know how to respond to your comment in an appropriate way. Your English is fine it communicated the horrible things that happened. I'm sorry you went through that and I'm sorry that your still suffering as a result and have yet to face anything even approaching closure. I'm a little confused at points, Libcom does have Dutch speaking users so you can feel free to use that language if your having problems communicating.

I hope this thread and the comments here including my own are not distressing to you and really hope they can play at least a small role in helping you come to terms*.

Thank you for this article which was very well researched and very well written. The Salvation Army is an extremely exploitative organization characterized by arrogance and un-accountability, I find. I think William Booth, its founder, was a very shrewd and calculating man who found a way to compromise morality by exploiting the poorest and making it appear to be "help" or "charity" and that continues today throughout the world.
It is also very true that the competence of their "officers" is extremely questionable. They are trained at a thing called "Salvation Army College" which is basically a pseudo-educational facility designed to reinforce the organization's very dubious ethic and results in incompetent workers and managers who blindly refuse to see how behind the times they are.
As regards the army's ordinary secular workers who are not Salvationists themselves, they are the backbone of the social centres and do a great job but are hampered by their Salvationist "management" and treated appallingly.
As someone who lives in one of their facilities, I can tell you categorically that money donated to the Salvation Army does not go to those who need it but goes to the officers who are salaried. They in fact charge homeless people for meals, accommodation etc via Housing Benefit and claim £200 per week for each resident, so if anyone is thinking of donating money to the Salvation Army, please don't, because that never reaches where it is supposed to go. Donate clothes instead, those reach us. Regards, Chris from Staffordshire, England, UK.

Hello Chris, thank you for sharing your experience I wasn't aware that the SA was charging their "tenants" that is not only disgusting but it also explains a question I had about the local SA, their fundraising efforts withered away, years ago and yet they bought an expensive property as a homeless shelter. Which makes now makes sense if they're gobbling up benefit and allowances.

I really am amazed that there doesn't seem to be a bottom to this barrel.

Do you have any more suggestions about how we can help those in their facilities directly?

And would you be willing to write an account of what its like to stay in one of their facilities today?

I've posted this elsewhere in the past. I worked for the Salvos some time ago at their Crisis Centre in St Kilda. Although I was highly critical of the shambolic management and the incompetence of their systems and practices, I remained for a number of years. The appalling things I saw go on in that sector - not limited to just the Salvos - has very much informed my career path and attitudes later in life.

A number of years ago now, I think around 2010 or 2011, I stumbled upon a web page that had a detailed list of Salvos scandals and improprieties. From memory, its focus was international and extensive, but I knew it had been compiled by someone who had at least some knowledge of what went on in the organization because the list included numerous incidents from the Salvos' Melbourne operations from the time I worked in the sector and with which I was personally familiar. The list didn't include a number of additional incidents of which I had knowledge, including an incident involving the death of a service user in respect of which I had direct knowledge. From memory, I printed out a hard copy of the Melbourne list, but I don't know where it is now. I can't remember whether I made an electronic copy of it; I certainly have not been able to find it. I've searched for that web page a number of times in the past couple of years but it doesn't come up anymore. I know the Salvos are highly litigious, and have access to first tier law firms and counsel who provide pro bono representation, so it may be they threatened the administrator of the site and got it taken down. I'd be interested to find out if anybody has knowledge of the site; the list I referred to was useful and should be available and added to. The Salvos are certainly guilty of many transgressions that should not be erased from the public memory.

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